Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Burns Homestead]

If you really have a lot to mix... in a deep container like a trash can or such, you might consider getting one of those log drill driven stirring rods that they use for mastic/grout/paint. Put it in a high torque, low speed drill and then just move it up and down through the contents in the barrel till everything is homogeneous. That's what I'd try to do anyway... I'm all about easier is better.

Yes I have thought about that my dads a mason and has a grout mixer and the drill for it. I have a question though it is hot here in the desert and I had a young rooster die yesterday and another today is the ferment causing them to heat up because the first couple days I put some of the horses alfalfa in the mix then stopped because I realized alfalfa is hot anyways The chickens are not sick but acting hotter then usual?

 

[Latestarter]

Yes I have thought about that my dads a mason and has a grout mixer and the drill for it. I have a question though it is hot here in the desert and I had a young rooster die yesterday and another today is the ferment causing them to heat up because the first couple days I put some of the horses alfalfa in the mix then stopped because I realized alfalfa is hot anyways The chickens are not sick but acting hotter then usual?

It would take me time to find the quantifying explanation, but a grain/feed being "hot" does NOT mean that it heats up the bird/animal that ingests it... It just means that it provides more "usable" calories than other food stuffs, is more easily/readily digestable, provides more usable nutrition for the bird/animal. Corn is another "hot" grain and when folks hear that, they get the misconception that they should not feed it in hot weather for fear of overheating/killing their birds. I don't know what breed birds you have and how well they are adapted to heat... I understand it has been exceptionally hot over there on the west coast this summer... Like more than normal for the desert even. I'm sure they are acting "hotter" than normal...

Are your birds free ranging or inside an enclosure? Do they have free and easy access to "cool" water and shade? Normal birds will lessen the amount they eat when it gets real hot and eat more when it gets cold. They self regulate pretty darned well... better than a lot of us humans

<---speaking for myself there... You say it was young rooster(s)? How young? perhaps something physically wrong with them? You said you have like 150 young birds... 2 out of 150 is a very low mortality rate. Hard to say what might have caused the deaths but it's highly unlikely that it was the FF as the rest of your flock is just fine... right? Could they have hurt themselves somehow, or possibly an altercation with another bird? Did you look over the carcass for any evidence of external damage?

Sorry you lost them, but again, I can't see that it was the FF.

 

[Burns Homestead]

It would take me time to find the quantifying explanation, but a grain/feed being "hot" does NOT mean that it heats up the bird/animal that ingests it... It just means that it provides more "usable" calories than other food stuffs, is more easily/readily digestable, provides more usable nutrition for the bird/animal. Corn is another "hot" grain and when folks hear that, they get the misconception that they should not feed it in hot weather for fear of overheating/killing their birds. I don't know what breed birds you have and how well they are adapted to heat... I understand it has been exceptionally hot over there on the west coast this summer... Like more than normal for the desert even. I'm sure they are acting "hotter" than normal...

Are your birds free ranging or inside an enclosure? Do they have free and easy access to "cool" water and shade? Normal birds will lessen the amount they eat when it gets real hot and eat more when it gets cold. They self regulate pretty darned well... better than a lot of us humans

<---speaking for myself there... You say it was young rooster(s)? How young? perhaps something physically wrong with them? You said you have like 150 young birds... 2 out of 150 is a very low mortality rate. Hard to say what might have caused the deaths but it's highly unlikely that it was the FF as the rest of your flock is just fine... right? Could they have hurt themselves somehow, or possibly an altercation with another bird? Did you look over the carcass for any evidence of external damage?

Sorry you lost them, but again, I can't see that it was the FF.

Yes the chickens that are outside have five acres to free range on yesterday it was a 5 month old RIR Roo Today it was one of my mixed Roos I do have one very aggressive roo that's not so nice to the other roos but is to us I rescue chickens and get a lot of roosters in new ones are caged so I don't put any others at risk of anything on the other side of the property so far so good never had diseases his cone was Black when I went out and found him dead and its normally red he was fine and eating earlier today They have plenty of shade and water 2 is a low rate? I think besides that dang coyote or bob cat not sure what it is that's stealing my birds at night before I secured it I haven't had any deaths for a long time I do spend alot of time out with the chickens everyone calls me the chicken lady instead of that cat lady lol That's where I spend most of my time it relaxes me

 

[AKCharle]

Well here it is the middle of August and I'm still processing (don't you love that word better than "killing or slaughtering) my Cornish Crosses. Wow what a chore. Finally my son came and he is helping me. Anyway, a couple of observations I would like your input on. First: I have been fermenting using a fermented corn, soy, wheat and alfalfa mix feed. Now that I am eating these chickens though I am finding an odd flavor to the meat. I had switched feed at one point in order to get away from the soy but that feed had salmon in it and the birds tasted like it so I had to abandon that feed. Yesterday we had chicken (browned on the grill, wrapped in foil and finished on the grill) and the odd flavor is back. My son, who ate the chicken for the first time, said it tasted like the fermented feed smells. So is anyone else noticing an odd flavor from their chickens that have been raised on fermented feed? Am I missing a step? Should I go to unfermented feed two weeks before processing? I am curing the birds for three days in the fridge before freezing so that's not it.
Second: My birds are very lean meat and have a tendency to be a little tough and stringy. Am I letting them grow too long? I got them May 3 and they were just a few days old then so now they are almost 16 weeks old but I began processing at 14 weeks so I could get them to at least 4-5 lbs.

 

[Sabz]

This is interesting AkCharle. Yes, processing is a BIG job, I did 14 alone this weekend and gee, I thought it was a big task.

I fed mine FF also. Mine were also about 3 month old (born may 23rd and processed 16-17th of august).

I found no odd taste - just that the chicken tasted more flavorful than the grocery store.
But.. before I processed mine, I was gone for a few days (2 trips of 3 days, separated by a few days at home).
So I did stop feeding FF since I knew it would go bad. Mine were off the FF for about 8 days before slaughter.

Another thing - my mix is different from yours. My coop only has a mixed grain that contains basic grains - wheat, corn, barley.. not sure if there is anything else in there.I started out doing a pretty fancy mix, but as they grew older I couldn't afford to feed them that mix!

Also, I didn't feed exclusively FF. I started it when they were maybe.. I don't remember 6-8 weeks old?

We all (my family) found my meat SUPER LEAN as well. I think the FF + the large coop and run have to do with it. But, it was not rough.

I was also interested in the affect of food prior to slaughtering but I was told not to change anything from the regular feeding. I am interested to see what others have to say, but for me the chicken didn't taste like the FF smell.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Regardless of what kind of chicken I plan to slaughter, I separate them from the others into a finishing pen, where they are fed nothing but buttermilk and cornbread...made from coarse ground yellow meal and this is all they want to eat for about 2 week, perhaps 3, depending on my schedule. Likely wouldn't need to bake the bread, just mix meal with buttermilk but I do it the way my grandma did.

I keep them on this feed (nothing else but clean fresh water) up to 2 days before processing...they get only the water after that until .......

 

[katbriar]

I've fed my meat birds fermented feed from commercial feed from hatch to slaughter and they haven't had any off flavor to me.

 

[AKCharle]

Hey Turk, thanks for the reply. This sounds like a great plan and so I will do like you do. You have generational knowledge so I will ask you another question. What kind of feed do you feed your birds? I want to make my own so I can get away from corn (GMO's) and soy (GMO's and messes with my thyroid). I live in Alaska so shipping is not an option for me and I don't really want to do that anyway. ANYWAY, I can get local grown barley and wheat but I don't know what to use for the protein, any ideas?

 

[Turk Raphael]

I've fed my meat birds fermented feed from commercial feed from hatch to slaughter and they haven't had any off flavor to me.

I started using FF only a few months ago and like the results but I will still 'finish' my birds as usual. I add fish meal and Calf Manna to my FF and simply don't want to take a chance, after all the work involved.

Charlie, aside from adding the fish meal and Calf Manna to my FF, I mix that with Layena, turning it into a wet mush. The birds look great, heavy and very active foragers. I might consider trying to find some non-GMO products for next year, when I have time to get my head on straight.

I also believe in regular worming or at least having the stool floated.

I hope this helps.

Turk

 

[maryhysong]

Well here it is the middle of August and I'm still processing (don't you love that word better than "killing or slaughtering) my Cornish Crosses. Wow what a chore. Finally my son came and he is helping me. Anyway, a couple of observations I would like your input on. First: I have been fermenting using a fermented corn, soy, wheat and alfalfa mix feed. Now that I am eating these chickens though I am finding an odd flavor to the meat. I had switched feed at one point in order to get away from the soy but that feed had salmon in it and the birds tasted like it so I had to abandon that feed. Yesterday we had chicken (browned on the grill, wrapped in foil and finished on the grill) and the odd flavor is back. My son, who ate the chicken for the first time, said it tasted like the fermented feed smells. So is anyone else noticing an odd flavor from their chickens that have been raised on fermented feed? Am I missing a step? Should I go to unfermented feed two weeks before processing? I am curing the birds for three days in the fridge before freezing so that's not it.
Second: My birds are very lean meat and have a tendency to be a little tough and stringy. Am I letting them grow too long? I got them May 3 and they were just a few days old then so now they are almost 16 weeks old but I began processing at 14 weeks so I could get them to at least 4-5 lbs.

I feed a certified organic broiler grower 20% from hatch to lay, it is corn, soy & canola free, with fish meal; have been fermenting it for almost two years now.My babies are started on it when they go into the brooder from the incubator. I have also been feeding sunflower seed hearts and mealworms for extra protein (I raise standard bred Orpingtons, Marans and some easter eggers) I have never had a fermented or fishy taste in my meat and I have processed birds from 4 months to 3 years old. Younger birds are more tender of course but I find that my home grown meat has more texture and needs more chewing than store bought. Not really tough, but not the smooshy you almost don't need teeth to eat it stuff you get at the store. I think the difference is exercise, fresh air and sunshine, more than what they ate. Commercial broilers, what all your store chicken is, is raised in huge climate controlled buildings, fed so much they grow so fast they can hardly stand up and walk and are processed at about 40 days of age.

One thing I have noticed since starting the FF and the organic feed; unless an old hen has fatty liver disease there is basically NO fat at all in my birds; even a 3 year old cock bird I processed last month, I don't think he had an ounce of fat in him. I think it is because they don't get any corn, which is a very fattening thing.